Technique for monitoring component processing

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a technique for measuring the efficiency of components in a computer. An echo server is provided which comprises several units. A socket generation unit generates a receiving server socket on the basis of information on a correspondence between a plurality of components in a computer. And generates a client socket that is a dedicated socket inheriting information of the receiving server socket when data is transmitted. A stream acquisition unit acquires a transmission path for acquiring data transmitted and received between components. A thread generation unit generates a transmission path by coupling streams. A transfer execution unit transfers data acquired via a thread to an original destination component. Using these units, the technique monitors and running verifies behavior by observing data running on the network.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method of monitoring componentprocessing in a computer system, and more particularly to a method ofmonitoring exchange of data between the components within a computer.

2. Description of the Related Art

In a computer system, it is very important to acquire the systemstatistical information such as a CPU utilization factor by measuringthe performance in various processings to make the system moreefficient.

In a network system having a plurality of computers connected, it ispossible to observe a packet exchange between the computers connected toa network, employing a network trace for monitoring a communicationpacket (hereinafter simply referred to as a packet) over the network.Thus, the performance is measured by clocking the time (response rate)taken to exchange the information between the computers in variousprocessings while tracing the packet.

Herein, a technique for automatically conducting a packet communicationtest without assistance was disclosed in which pseudo random data istransmitted to a destination with an IP address in a wirelesstransmitting and receiving component for test and a port number forpacket returning test in a state where a wireless packet test part and apacket network is in packet communication, and the measured bit errorrate is compared with a threshold value to measure the quality (e.g.,patent document 1).

Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2002-077070 (page 6, FIG. 3)

However, in the case where a plurality of software components(hereinafter referred to as components) are a plurality of nodes(computers) over the network, it is difficult to guarantee theequivalency in the environment and the time, and compare the systemstatistical information evenly between the plurality of components. Thismakes a bottleneck in judging which component has the greatest influenceon the efficiency of the overall system.

On the other hand, when the plurality of components are configured on asingle node, it is easy to guarantee the equivalency in the environmentand the time and compare the system statistical information between theplurality of components.

However, when the plurality of components operate on the single node,the information exchanged between those components never becomes thereal packet on the network. Accordingly, the response rate of the systemin various processings can not be measured by the method of monitoringthe packet as described above.

Also, with the above technique as described in the patent document 1, itis possible to make a communication test for the wireless communicationitself between a plurality of nodes, but impossible to measure thesystem response rate on the single node.

Thus, it is an object of the present invention to measure the systemstatistical information over a plurality of components configured on thesingle node.

Moreover, it is another object of the invention to conduct a system testemploying a method of measuring the system statistical information onthe single node.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention providesa server that is an information processing apparatus comprising socketgeneration means, path generation means and transfer execution means.That is, in this server, socket generation means generates a socket as avirtual interface by a combination of an address included in acorrespondence between a plurality of components in a computer and aport number, path generation means generates a path for acquiring datatransmitted or received between the components via the socket and anetwork, and transfer execution means transfers the data acquired viathe path to a component that is an original destination.

Herein, in this server, the socket generation means generates a receivedserver socket on the basis of the correspondence between the components,and generates a client socket that is a dedicated socket fortransmitting the data inheriting the information of the received serversocket, when the data is transmitted to the received server socket.Examples of this client socket may include a receiving client socketthat is generated when the data is transmitted from a first component ofthe computer to the server via the receiving server socket, and atransfer client socket that is generated when the data is transmittedfrom the server to a second component of the computer. Also, theinformation of the correspondence between the components includes areception address, a receiving port, a transfer destination address anda transfer destination port in each data transfer. However, the transferdestination address and the transfer destination port may not beobtained depending on the data transfer mode, in which case the transferdestination address uses the transmission destination address of therequest and the transfer destination port uses the original destinationport of the request.

Also, in generating the path, the path generation means acquires aninput stream that is a transmission path of the data transmitted via thenetwork from the computer, and an output stream that is a transmissionpath of the data transferred via the network to the computer. And thepath generation means generates a receiving thread that is atransmission path for acquiring the data as a request transmitted fromthe first component of the computer and transferring the data to thesecond component of the computer, and a transfer thread that is atransmission path for acquiring the data as a response transmitted fromthe second component of the computer and transferring the data to thefirst component of the computer.

Moreover, the server may further comprise monitor means for observingthe data running over the network. In the server with this functionalconfiguration, the monitor means observes the time at which thetransmission of the data is started and the time at which the transferof the data is ended. And this monitor means acquires a destinationaddress, a destination port, an originator address and an originatorport included in the data to classify the data of observation object.

Further, the transfer execution means realizes a measurement undervarious conditions. That is, the transfer execution means may transferthe data in a network environment having a small bandwidth by changingthe bandwidth of the network. Also, the transfer execution means maytransfer the data in a network environment having an artificial delay bydelaying the network. Moreover, the transfer execution means may verifya system behavior by making the measurement in the environment with lowreliability of data transfer for the network or the computer.

Also, in order to accomplish the above object, the invention provides aserver comprising transmission path setting means and monitor means.That is, in this server, transmission path setting means sets atransmission path via a network for data exchanged between a pluralityof components in a computer, and interface setting means sets aninterface for passing the data through the transmission path. And theserver may further comprise monitor means for monitoring the dataacquired through the interface and the transmission path over thenetwork.

Moreover, in order to accomplish the above object, the inventionprovides a method of monitoring component processing. That is, thismethod of monitoring component processing comprises the steps ofacquiring a correspondence between a plurality of components in acomputer connected via a network, generating an interface for passingdata through the network from an interconnection between the pluralityof components on the basis of the correspondence, acquiring atransmission path of data transmitted via the interface and connectingthe acquired transmission path to generate a transmission path fortransferring the data, receiving the data via the transmission path andtransferring the data, and monitoring the data running on the network.

Herein, the step of generating the interface may further comprise a stepof generating a socket on the basis of the correspondence between thecomponents, and a step of generating a socket that is dedicated for thedata inheriting the information of the socket when the data istransmitted to the socket. Also, the step of generating the transmissionpath may further comprise a step of acquiring an input stream forinputting the data from the computer and an output stream for outputtingthe data to the computer, and a step of generating a receiving threadand/or a transfer thread by coupling the input stream and the outputstream.

Also, the invention provides a program for controlling data processingby controlling a computer. That is, the program causes the computer toexecute the processing of acquiring a correspondence between a pluralityof components in another computer connected via a network, generating aninterface for passing data through the network from an interconnectionbetween the plurality of components on the basis of the correspondence,acquiring a transmission path of data transmitted via the interface andconnecting the acquired transmission path to generate a transmissionpath for transferring the data, and receiving the data via thetransmission path and transferring the data.

This program causes the computer to execute the processing of acquiringand tracing the data running on the network and recording the trace datafor specifying the data. Herein, the processing of acquiring thecorrespondence between the plurality of components may compriseacquiring an originator address and a port of the data transmitted fromthe component, and a destination address and a port of the data.

Also, in the program, the processing of generating the interface maycomprise generating a socket on the basis of the correspondence betweenthe components, and generating a socket that is dedicated to the datainheriting the information of the socket when the data is transmitted tothe socket. Moreover, in the program, the processing of generating thetransmission path may comprise acquiring an input stream for inputtingthe data from another computer and an output stream for outputting thedata to another computer, and generating a receiving thread and/or atransfer thread by coupling the input stream and the output stream.

Moreover, the invention provides a program for controlling dataprocessing by controlling a computer. That is, the program causes thecomputer to serve as transmission path setting means for setting atransmission path via a network for data exchanged between a pluralityof components in the computer, and interface setting means for settingan interface for passing the data through the transmission path. Herein,the program may be applicable to not only an echo server but also thecomputer of measurement object. And the program allows the interface andthe transmission path to be set, whereby exchange of data between theplurality of components is enabled via the network. Also, the programcauses the computer to serves as monitor means for monitoring theacquired data over the network.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the concept of an echo server;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram typically showing a hardware configuration ofa computer that implements the echo server;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a network configuration composed of a clientdevice and a computer comprising a plurality of components;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the data flow between the client deviceand the plurality of components as shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a network configuration to measure theresponse rate between the plurality of components in the computer;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the data flow between the plurality ofcomponents, the echo server and the client device as shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the echoserver in this embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a view showing a correspondence table for use to generate asocket in a socket generation part;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining a processing flow for starting asocket generation process in an echo server;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining the flow of the socket generationprocess in the socket generation part;

FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining the flow of a stream acquisitionprocess in a stream acquisition part and a transfer process in atransfer execution part;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart for explaining the flow of a thread generationprocess in a thread generation part;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart for explaining the flow of a thread process inthe transfer execution part;

FIG. 14 is a view showing a data structure of the packet data observedon the monitor; and

FIG. 15 is a flowchart for explaining the processing flow for observingthe packet data on the monitor.

Herein, in this invention, the program may be provided by storing it ina magnetic disk, an optical disk, a semiconductor memory or otherrecording medium, or distributing it via the network.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be describedbelow with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First of all, this invention will be outlined. This invention allows theinformation to be exchanged between a plurality of components configuredon a single node via a network to observe a packet exchange between thecomponents, and acquire the system statistical information. To implementthis exchange of information, the invention provides an echo server thatreceives a request or a response transmitted from each component on thenetwork, and returns it as an echo to an original destination.

FIG. 1 is a view for explaining the concept of an echo server.

In FIG. 1, the echo server 10 is connected to a computer 20 as a nodevia the network 40 (the echo server 10 itself is a node on the network40). This echo server 10 consists of one or more computer systemsconnected to the network 40. The computer 20 has two components C1 andC2. That is, a plurality of components are configured on the singlenode. In a predetermined process, component C1 sends a request tocomponent C2, and component C2 returns a response to the request tocomponent C1, in which this communication is made via the echo server10. Also, a monitor (monitoring device) 30 is connected to the network40 to monitor the packets exchanged via the network 40.

In this manner, in this embodiment, the communication between theplurality of components residing on the single node is made via the echoserver 10 to generate a real packet passing over the network 40 in thiscommunication. This packet exchange is observed on the monitor 30 tomeasure a response rate in this communication and acquire the systemstatistic information.

The echo server 10 in this embodiment is implemented by one or morecomputers connected to the network, for example.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram typically showing a hardware configuration ofthe computer for implementing the echo server 10.

The computer as shown in FIG. 2 comprises a CPU (Central ProcessingUnit) 101 as operation means, a main memory 103 connected to the CPU 101via an M/B (mother board) chip set 102 and a CPU bus, a video card 104connected to the CPU 101 via the M/B chip set 102 and an AGP(Accelerated Graphic Port), a hard disk 105 connected to the M/B chipset 102 via a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) bus, a networkinterface 106 and a USB port 107, and a floppy disk drive 109 and akeyboard/mouse 110 connected to the M/B chip set 102 via the PCI bus, abridge circuit 108 and a low speed bus such as an ISA (Industry StandardArchitecture) bus.

FIG. 2 illustrates one hardware configuration of a computer forimplementing this embodiment, but various other configurations may beemployed. For example, instead of providing the video card 104, a videomemory may be only mounted to process the image data in the CPU 101, ora CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory) or DVD-ROM (Digital VersatileDisc Read Only Memory) drive may be provided via an ATA (AT Attachment)interface.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the data flow concerning the request andresponse in the normal operation between a client device fortransmitting the request data and receiving the response data and thecomputer 20 as a server connected over the network to the client devicewill be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a network configurationcomposed of the client device 50 and the computer 20 comprising aplurality of components, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the data flowbetween the client device 50 and the plurality of components as shown inFIG. 3.

The echo server 10 is shown in FIGS. 3 to 6. Firstly, in the system ofFIG. 3, data is exchanged between components not via the echo server 10in the normal operation, while in the system of FIG. 5, the echo server10 is interposed between the components to acquire and transfer datasent from the components.

As shown in FIG. 3, the client server 50 and the computer 20 areconnected via the network 40. This computer 20 has four components,including an authentication (component) 21, a directory (component) 22,a contents conversion (component) 23, and a Web application (component)24. The data flow between the components until the response data isreturned from the computer 20 in response to the request sent from theclient device 50 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

If the request data is sent from the client device 50 (Step 0), anauthentication process is performed in the authentication component 21of the computer 20, and the authenticated data is sent to the directorycomponent 22 (Step 1). The predetermined data is extracted on the basisof the sent data in the directory component 22, and the extracted datais sent via the authentication component 21 (Step 2) to the contentsconversion component 23 (Step 3). The data, having undergone a contentsconversion process in the contents conversion component 23, is sent tothe Web application 24 (Step 4). The data, having undergone apredetermined process in the Web application 24, is sent to the contentsconversion component 23 (Step 5), and the data having undergone thecontents conversion process, is then sent to the authenticationcomponent 21 (Step 6). The response data is then returned from theauthentication component 21 of the computer 20 via the network 40 to theclient device 50 (Step 7). In this manner, in the network system havingthe configuration as shown in FIG. 3, a predetermined process isperformed in each of the plurality of components provided in thecomputer 20 that is the single node, and data is directly exchangedbetween the plurality of components inside the computer 20. That is, therequest data and the response data are only transmitted and received viathe network 40 in the normal operation.

In another embodiment, in measuring the processing speed (response rate)of the plurality of components provided in the computer 20, the echoserver 10 is employed, in addition to the configuration as shown in FIG.3. The configuration and the data flow for measuring the response ratevia the echo server 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and6. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a network configuration to measure theresponse rate between the plurality of components in the computer 20 inthis embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the data flow betweenthe plurality of components, the echo server 10 and the client device 50as shown in FIG. 5.

The echo server 10 in this embodiment acquires the data sent andreceived between the plurality of components within the computer 20 andtransfers data to the distinction component of the computer 20. In thefollowing description, the above series of processing steps of the echoserver 10 is referred to as an echo process. That is, this echo server10 can interrupt communication between the components when the echoserver 10 is connected to the network 40. Though this interrupt will bedescribed later with reference to FIG. 7, a transmission path isgenerated as an interrupt path between the components to acquire thepacket data running on this transmission path, whereby a listenerfunction is implemented. Thereby, the data transmitted and receivedbetween the components of the computer 20 that is the single node in thenormal operation can be passed over the network 40 as the datacommunication with the packet data. And the echo server 10 that isanother node can receive the packet data running over the network 40owing to the listener function.

Also, this echo server 10 has a transfer function for transferring thereceived packet data to the computer 20. That is, in sending data fromone component to another component in the computer 20, this echo server10 receives the data from the one component as the packet data via thetransmission path and the network 40 owing to the listener function, andtransfers this packet data via the network 40 and the transmission pathto another component as the original destination. In this manner, theresponse rate of each component in the computer 20 is measured bymonitoring the packet data running over the network 40, whereby itbecomes possible to acquire the statistical information of the systemcomposed of the components in the computer 20.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the client device 50 and the computer 20 areconnected via the network 40. Further, the network 40 is connected tothe echo server 10 and the monitor 30, which observes the packet datarunning over this network 40. In the example illustrated by FIGS. 5 and6, the computer 20 has the same components as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.The data flow processed in the components will be described withreference to FIGS. 5 and 6.

When a request data is sent from the client server 50 (Step 0), anauthentication process is performed in the authentication component 21of the computer 20, and the authenticated data with a destination of thedirectory component 22 is received (acquired) by the echo server 10 viathe transmission path and the network 40, and then transferred to thedirectory component 22 (Step 1). The predetermined data is extracted onthe basis of the sent data in the directory component 22, and theextracted data with a destination of the authentication component 21 isreceived by the echo server 10 and then transferred to theauthentication component 21 (Step 2). Also, the data with a destinationof the contents conversion component 23 is received by the echo server10, and then transferred to the contents conversion component 23 (Step3). The data having undergone a contents conversion process in thecontents conversion component 23, is received by the echo server 10, andthen transferred to the Web application 24 (4). The data havingundergone a predetermined process in the Web application 24 is receivedby the echo server 10, and then transferred to the contents conversioncomponent 23 (Step 5), and the data having undergone the contentsconversion process, is also received by the echo server 10 and thentransferred to the authentication component 21 (Step 6). The responsedata is then returned from the authentication component 21 of thecomputer 20 via the network 40 to the client device 50 (Step 7). In thismanner, in the network system when the response rate is measured, apredetermined process is performed in each component of the computer 20,and the packet data is acquired and transferred from and to the computer20 by the echo server 10, whereby data is exchanged between a pluralityof nodes. That is, when the response rate is measured, the packet datais transmitted and received via the network 40 for each process. And thedata communication over the network 40 is observed by the monitor 30connected to the network 40.

As described above, in this embodiment, the echo server 10 is connectedvia the network 40 to the computer 20, and the listener function forinterrupting communication between the components of the computer 20 isimplemented. Also, in the echo server 10, the transfer function forreceiving the packet data acquired from one component owing to thelistener function, and transferring this packet data to anothercomponent is implemented. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the functionalconfiguration of the echo server 10 in this embodiment. Each function ofthe echo server 10 is a software block realized under the control of theCPU 101 provided in the echo server 10.

As shown in FIG. 7, the echo server 10 includes a number of functionalparts. These parts involve a socket generation part 210 for generating asocket as a virtual interface for connection to the computer 20 by acombination of an IP address and a port number. The echo server 10 alsoincludes a stream acquisition part 220 for acquiring an input stream(data transmission path) and an output stream (data transmission path)from the socket generated in the socket generation part 210. A threadgeneration part 230 is provided for generating a receiving thread(transmission path) and a transfer thread (transmission path) bycoupling streams acquired in the stream acquisition part 220. A transferexecution part 240 is provided for transferring the packet data via athread generated in the thread generation part 230. Herein, in thisembodiment, the functions of the echo server 10 are implemented by thesocket generation part 210 as socket generation means, the streamacquisition part 220 and the thread generation part 230 as pathgeneration means, and the transfer execution part 240 as transferexecution means.

The technique a function for generating the socket that is a listenerfor realizing the listener function mentioned above will be describedbelow. FIG. 8 illustrates a correspondence table for use in generatingthe socket in the socket generation part 210. As shown in FIG. 8, thiscorrespondence table includes columns for a reception address, areceiving port, transfer destination address, and a, transferdestination port. Values are recorded in for 0 to rows. Thecorrespondence table as shown in the figure is created when the echoserver 10 starts a process or when the echo server 10 is connected tothe network 40 including the computer 20. Of the information useful tocreate the correspondence table, the reception address and the receivingport must be decided in advance on the basis of the networkconfiguration comprising the echo server 10 and the computer 20, but thetransfer destination address and the transfer destination port can beobtained from a correspondence relation (relation for exchanging data)between components in the computer 20. The correspondence table ascreated in this manner is held in a memory area of the main memory 103in the echo server 10. If the echo server 10 is connected to the network40, one listener is generated for each row of the correspondence tablefrom the combination of reception address and receiving port, andtransfer destination address and transfer destination port. In thisembodiment, the echo server 10 reads the correspondence relation betweenthe components and creates the correspondence table. However, thiscorrespondence table may be provided as an external file orautomatically acquired from a specific network service. In any case,this correspondence table is finally held in the main memory 103 toimplement the functions of the echo server 10.

The reception address and the receiving port as shown in FIG. 8 are usedfor the echo server 10 to receive a request from the component as theclient of the computer 20, whereby the socket generation part 210generates a receiving server socket based on this address. Thisreceiving server socket is the entry for receiving the request sent tothe receiving port at the reception address, and generated based on thereception address and the receiving port specified for the component ata timing when the echo server 10 is connected to the network 40. Thatis, the receiving server socket is generated on the basis of thecorrespondence relation between the components as shown in FIG. 8.

When the receiving server socket is employed in receiving the requestfrom the component of the computer 20, the receiving server socket isclosed. Therefore, the echo server 10 can not receive the next requestuntil processing of that request is ended. When the request is actuallysent to the receiving port at the reception address, it is desirable toprovide a dedicated socket for receiving the request. Thus, the socketgeneration part 210 generates the receiving client socket that is adedicated communication path for receiving the request from thecomponent as the client of the computer 20. In transmitting a response,this receiving client socket is employed as a dedicated communicationpath (exit) for transmitting the response to the component. Herein, thisreceiving client socket is generated by inheriting the set informationof the receiving server socket. The echo server 10 receives the request(or transmits the response) employing the receiving client socket(communication path), whereby the receiving server socket is notenclosed, and the latency time for processing is shortened.

After the request from the component as the client of the computer 20 isreceived by the echo server 10, an input stream and an output stream areacquired based on the receiving client socket and the transferdestination address and the transfer destination port as shown in FIG.8. The transfer destination address and the transfer destination portare address and port for transmitting the request from the echo server10 to the component as the server of the computer 20, whereby the socketgeneration part 210 generates a transfer client socket based on thisaddress. This transfer client socket is a dedicated socket as the exitfor transmitting the request passed to the transfer destination port atthe transfer destination address, and generated at a timing when thepacket data is transmitted from the echo server 10. In returning theresponse, this transfer client socket is used as a dedicatedcommunication path (entry) for receiving the response from thecomponent. Herein, the transfer client socket, like the receiving clientsocket, is generated by inheriting the information of the receivingserver socket.

In this manner, the socket generation part 210 changes the destinationof data to be normally sent from one component to another within thecomputer 20 by generating the receiving client socket and the transferclient socket. That is, the echo server 10 connected to the network 40detects that data is sent between the components, the data sent from theone component is acquired as the packet data, and the destination ofthis data is set to the echo server 10. The destination of the acquiredpacket data is then set to the another component and the packet data istransmitted. Thereby, the data transmission from one component toanother within the computer 20 can be made the packet data communicationvia the echo server 10. Then, the data normally exchanged between thecomponents of the computer 20 is passed as the packet data over thenetwork 40, whereby this packet data is observed on the monitor 30.

Also, the echo server 10 in this embodiment is provided with a receptionflag for instructing whether or not the transmission and reception ofthe packet data via the echo server 10, or the echo process iscontinued, when the request is detected, in a predetermined area of themain memory 103. Though the value of this reception flag is true orfalse, the operation of the listener function through each socket iscontrolled by setting the flag to true or false during the echo process.

The stream acquisition part 220 acquires an input stream that is atransmission path of the packet data from the receiving client socket ortransfer client socket generated in the socket generation part 210, orthe transmission source of the request or response, to the echo server10. In the following, the transmission path from the component of thecomputer 20 as the transmission source of the request via the receivingclient socket and the network 40 to the echo server 10 is defined as theinput stream 1 (denoted as the input stream IS1), and the transmissionpath from the component of the computer 20 as the transmission source ofthe response via the transfer client socket and the network 40 to theecho server 10 is defined as the input stream 2 (denoted as the inputstream IS2).

Also, the stream acquisition part 220 acquires an output stream that isa transmission path of the packet data to the receiving client socket ortransfer client socket generated in the socket generation part 210, orthe transfer destination of request or response from the echo server 10.In the following, the transmission path from the echo server 10 as thetransfer source of the request via the network 40 and the transferclient socket to the computer 20 is defined as the output stream 1(denoted as the output stream OS1), and the transmission path from theecho server 10 as the transfer source of the response via the network 40and the receiving client socket to the computer 20 is defined as theoutput stream 2 (denoted as the output stream OS2).

The thread generation part 230 generates the thread for receiving thepacket data from the request transmission source and transmitting thepacket data to the transfer destination server. That is, the threadgeneration part 230 generates the receiving thread that is atransmission path by combining the input stream from the computer 20 asthe transmission source of the request acquired in the streamacquisition part 220 to the echo server 10 and the output stream fromthe echo server 10 to the computer 20 as the transfer destination serverof the request. In the following, the thread generated by combining theinput stream IS1 and the output stream OS1 is made the receiving thread(denoted as the receiving thread TH1).

Also, the thread generation part 230 generates the thread for receivingthe packet data from the transfer destination server and transmittingthe packet data to the request transmission source. That is, the threadgeneration part 230 generates the transfer thread that is a transmissionpath by combining the input stream that is a transmission path from thecomputer 20 as the transmission source of the response acquired in thestream acquisition part 220 to the echo server 10 and the output streamfrom the echo server 10 to the computer 20 as the transfer destinationof the response. In the following, the thread generated by combining theinput stream IS2 and the output stream OS2 is made the transfer thread(denoted as the transfer thread TH2).

The transfer execution part 240 starts the receiving thread TH1 bydetecting that the request is transmitted from the component of thecomputer 20, and executes the transfer of the request from the clientcomponent of the computer 20 via the echo server 10 to the servercomponent of the computer 20 to transfer data to the server component.Also, the transfer execution part 240 starts the transfer thread TH2 bydetecting that the response from the component of the computer 20 isreturned, and executes the transfer of the response from the servercomponent of the computer 20 via the echo server 10 to the clientcomponent of the computer 20 to transfer data to the client component.Moreover, the transfer execution part 240 judges whether or not the echoprocess is continued, based on the value of the receiving flag.

In this embodiment, the monitor 30 monitors the flow of the packet datatransferred by the transfer execution part 240 over the network 40. Thatis, the echo server 10 holds the settings for transferring the packetdata, and rewrites the transmission destination of the packet dataacquired in accordance with the settings and transmits it over thenetwork 40 again. It is possible to observe the time taken to make thedata processing in each component of the computer 20 of measurementobject by monitoring the packet data.

A processing flow in the echo server 10 will be described below using aflowchart. FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining the processing flow forstarting the socket generation process in the echo server 10.

If the echo server 10 is connected to the network 40 comprising thecomputer 20 to be measured, the socket generation part 210 reads acorrespondence table which contains the reception address, receivingport, transfer destination address and transfer destination port. Thetable is held in the main memory 103 of the echo server 10 the parameteri indicating the number of rows in the correspondence table is set to 0(Step S901). Next, the socket generation part 210 judges whether or notthe parameter i is smaller than the size of the correspondence table(number of rows in the correspondence table) (Step S902). At Step S902,if the parameter i is smaller than the number of rows in thecorrespondence table, the socket generation part 210 acquires the valueof each item at the i-th row in the correspondence table (Steps 903).After the value of each item at the i-th row in the correspondence tableis acquired, the socket generation process is performed (Step S904)which will be described later with reference to FIG. 10.

When the socket generation process corresponding to the i-th row in thecorrespondence table ends in Step S904, the socket generation part 210increments the parameter i by one (Step S905), and processing return toStep S902, for each subsequent row i. When the value of parameter i isdetermined to be larger than the number of rows in of the correspondencetable in Step S902, the reading process of the correspondence table inthe socket generation part 210 is ended.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining the flow of the socket generationprocess in the socket generation part 210 as shown at Step S904 in FIG.9.

After the value of each item at the i-th row in the correspondence tableis acquired at Step S903 in FIG. 9, the socket generation part 210acquires the reception address from the value of the correspondencetable (Step S1001), and acquires the receiving port (Step s1002). Also,the socket generation part 210 acquires the transfer destination addressfrom the value of the correspondence table (Step S1003), and acquiresthe transfer destination port (Step S1004). The socket generation part210 generates a receiving server socket that is an entry of the requestsent from the computer 20, on the basis of the reception addressacquired at Step S1001 and the receiving port acquired at Step S1002(Step S1005).

After a request from the client component of the computer 20 is received(Step S1006), the socket generation part 210 generates a receivingclient socket that is a dedicated transmission path for receiving therequest from the client component on the basis of the reception addressand the receiving port (Step S1007). Namely, the transmission andreception of the packet data concerning the request are carried outemploying the receiving client socket generated at Step S1007. Herein,after the receiving client socket is generated at Step S1007, theprocessing is assigned from the socket generation part 210 to the streamacquisition part 220, the stream acquisition process as will bedescribed later with reference to FIG. 11 and the thread generationprocess of FIG. 12 to be performed after the stream acquisition processare conducted (Step S1008).

After the stream acquisition process, the thread generation process andthe thread process are ended, the transfer execution part 240 determineswhether or not the receiving flag is true (step 1009). If the receivingflag is true at Step S1009, the processing beginning Step S1006 isrepeated to transfer the request. Also, if the receiving flag is foundto be set to false at Step S1009, the receiving socket generationprocess is ended.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining the flow of a stream acquisitionprocess in the stream acquisition part 220 and a transfer process in thetransfer execution part 240 at Step S1008 in FIG. 10.

After the processing of the stream acquisition part 220 is assigned atStep S1008 in FIG. 10, the stream acquisition part 220 acquires thereceiving client socket generated in the socket generation part 210(Step S1101). Also, this stream acquisition part 220 acquires thetransfer destination address acquired from the correspondence table(Step S1102), and acquires the transfer destination port (Step S1103).

The stream acquisition part 220 acquires the input stream IS1 on thebasis of the receiving client socket acquired at Step S1101 and theinformation of address and port of the echo server 10 itself (StepS1104). This input stream IS1 is the transmission path for transmittingthe request from the client component through the receiving clientsocket to the echo server 10. Also, the stream acquisition part 220acquires the output stream OS1 on the basis of the information ofaddress and port of the echo server 10 itself and the transferdestination address and the transfer destination port acquired at StepsS1102 and S1103 (Step S1105). This output stream OS1 is the transmissionpath of the packet data for transmitting (transferring) the request fromthe echo server 10 to the server component of the computer 20.

After the input stream IS1 and the output stream OS1 are acquired atSteps S1104 and S1105, the socket generation part 210 generates atransfer client socket that is a dedicated transmission path fortransferring the request to the server component on the basis of thetransfer destination address and the transfer destination port acquiredat Steps S1102 and S1103 (Step S1106).

After the transfer client socket is generated at Step S1106, the streamacquisition part 220 acquires the input stream IS2 on the basis of thetransfer client socket and the information of address and port of theecho server 10 itself (Step S1107). This input stream IS2 is thetransmission path of the packet data for transmitting the response fromthe server component through the server component of the computer 20 tothe echo server 10. Also, the stream acquisition part 220 acquires theoutput stream OS2 on the basis of the information of address and port ofthe echo server 10 itself and the transfer client socket (Step S1108).This output stream OS2 is the transmission path of the packet data fortransmitting (transferring) the response from the echo server 10 to theclient component of the computer 20.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart for explaining the flow of a thread generationprocess in the thread generation part 230, which is performed after thestream acquisition process as shown in FIG. 11.

After the stream acquisition process as shown in FIG. 11 is performed,the thread generation part 230 generates a receiving thread TH1 bycombining the input stream IS1 and the output stream OS1 as theparameters acquired in the stream acquisition part 220 (Step S1201).This receiving thread TH1 is a transmission path for receiving thepacket data from the request transmission source and transmitting thispacket data to the transfer destination server. Also, the threadgeneration part 230 generates a transfer thread TH2 by combining theinput stream IS2 and the output stream OS2 as the parameters acquired inthe stream acquisition part 220 (Step S1202). This transfer thread TH2is a transmission path for receiving the packet data from the transferdestination server and transmitting this packet data to the requesttransmission source.

And if a request is sent from the client component of the computer 20,the transfer execution part 240 starts the receiving thread through thereceiving thread TH1 as the transmission path (Step S1203). Also, if aresponse is sent from the server component of the computer 20, thetransfer execution part 240 starts the transfer thread through thetransfer thread TH2 as the transmission path (Step S1204). The threadprocesses at steps 1203 and 1204 will be described later with referenceto FIG. 13.

After starting the receiving thread and the transfer thread, thetransfer execution part 240 waits until these threads are ended (StepS1205). When the receiving thread is ended, the transfer execution part240 discards the receiving client socket employed in the receivingthread (Step S1206). Also, if the transfer thread is ended, the transferexecution part 240 discards the transfer client socket employed in thetransfer socket (Step S1207).

FIG. 13 is a flowchart for explaining the flow of a thread process(transfer process of the packet data) in the transfer execution part240. Herein, the processing for starting the receiving thread at StepS1203 in FIG. 12 will be described.

After the thread process is started, the transfer execution part 240reads the packet data of request from the input stream IS1 (Step S1301).The transfer execution part 240 then determines whether or not the inputfrom the input stream IS1 is completed (Step S1302). If it is judgedthat the input is not ended in Step S1302, the data is written into theoutput stream OS1 (Step S1303). The packet data is read and writtenuntil the input from the input stream IS1 is ended. After it isdetermined that the input is completed at Step S1302, the transferexecution part 240 discards the input stream IS1 (Step S1304). Also, thetransfer execution part 240 discards the output stream OS1 (Step S1305).

In this manner, the echo server 10 in this embodiment relays the requestreturned from the client component of the computer 20 via the network40, and transfers it to the server component of the computer 20 bychanging the transmission source address and destination address of thepacket data of this request. Also, the echo server 10 relays theresponse returned from the server component of the computer 20 via thenetwork 40 and transfers it to the client component of the computer 20by changing the transmission source address and destination address ofthe packet data of this response. In this manner, the packet data of therequest and response exchanged within the computer 20 is passed over thenetwork 40, whereby the packet data is monitored on the monitor 30. Itis possible to measure the time taken to make the processing in theserver component by observing the packet data from the time whenreturning the packet data of the request is started until the time whenreceiving the packet data of the response is ended.

FIG. 14 is a view showing a data structure of the packet data observedon the monitor 30.

As shown in FIG. 14, the packet data includes the time when the packetdata is transmitted, the destination address that is the address of thedestination for transmitting this packet data, the destination port thatis the port of the destination for transmitting the packet data, theoriginator address that is the address of the originator of the packetdata, and the originator port that is the port of the originator of thepacket data. In this embodiment, data is once transmitted from thecomputer 20 to the echo server 10 provided on the network 40 andreturned from the echo server 10 to, the computer, although the data isnormally exchanged between the components of the computer 20.Accordingly, the packet data in which the destination is the echo server10 and the originator is the computer 20 and the packet data in whichthe destination is the computer 20 and the originator is the echo server10 are generated and monitored for one communication between thecomponents. Also, in this embodiment, the packet data running over thenetwork 40 is observed on the monitor 30 provided on the network 40separately from the echo server 10.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart for explaining the processing flow for observingthe packet data on the monitor 30.

After the receiving thread is started at Step S1203 in FIG. 12, thepacket data is transmitted from the client component of the computer 20to the echo server 10 over the network 40. The monitor 30 connected tothe network 40 acquires the packet data running over the network 40(step 1501). And the monitor 30 acquires the time from the packet data(Step S1502). Next, the monitor 30 acquires the destination address fromthe packet data (step 1503), and acquires the destination port (StepS1504). Moreover, the monitor 30 acquires the originator address (StepS1505), and acquires the originator port (Step S1506). The monitor 30then records the trace data in the memory area provided within theapparatus on the basis of the items acquired at Steps S1502 to S1506(Step S1507). Next, the monitor 30 determines whether or not the packetdata is ended (Step S1508). If not, the processing from Step S1501 toStep S1508 is repeated until transmission of a plurality of pieces ofpacket data is ended. When it is determined at Step S1508 that thethread as shown at Step S1205 in FIG. 12 has ended, whereby if thetransmission of the packet data is ended, the monitor 30 ends theprocessing and waits until the next packet data is transmitted. In thisway, it is possible to measure the time taken to carry out theprocessing in the component of the computer 20 by analyzing the contentsof the trace data, such as the time recorded at Step S1507. Thereby, theprocessing time for each component is measured, and it is known whichcomponent takes a lot of processing time.

By the way; in the basic operation example as described above, thecorrespondence table of FIG. 8 is initially created, and the socketgeneration process is performed on the basis of the information of thecorrespondence table (see FIG. 9). In this correspondence table, thetransfer destination address and the transfer destination port may beunspecified. In such a case, the echo server 10 employs the transmissionsource address of the request as the transfer destination address, andthe original destination port of the request as the transfer destinationport in generating the receiving client socket and the transfer clientsocket in the socket generation part 210 and the stream acquisition part220 respectively. Thereby, the thread is generated to return the requestto the transmission source node of the request (referred to as an echoback). The thread process itself using the thread has the operation asdescribed with reference to FIG. 13.

Employing the echo server 10 as described above, the processing time foreach component is measured in the system consisting of a plurality ofcomponents provided for one computer 20. Also, the monitor 30 may beconnected to the network 40, and does not need to be incorporated intothe computer 20 of measurement object, whereby there is no load on theprocessing in the components of the computer 20. Though the echo server10 and the monitor 30 are provided separately in this embodiment, amonitor function equivalent to that of the monitor 30 may be providedwithin the echo server 10, as far as it can measure the packet datarunning over the network 40. In this case, the monitor function withinthe echo server 10 operates as monitor means.

In the above embodiment, the socket and the transmission path of thepacket data are generated as the interface by the socket generation part210, the stream acquisition part 220 and the thread generation part 230within the echo server 10. The equivalent functions may be providedwithin the computer 20, so that the socket and the transmission path canbe generated in the computer 20. Also, exchange of data between thecomponents is made through the socket and the transmission path via thenetwork. Then, it is possible to monitor the packet data running overthe network 40 in the same manner as when the socket and thetransmission path are generated in the echo server 10. Further, thebandwidth for use in the data transfer over the network 40 can bechanged through the data processing by the transfer execution part 240in the echo server 10 as described above. Also, it is possible to verifya behavior of the processing rate in the component of the computer 20 inthe network environment with a smaller bandwidth by observing datarunning over the network by setting the bandwidth smaller.

Moreover, the data transfer over the network 40 can be artificiallydelayed through the data processing by the transfer execution part 240of the echo server 10. Thereby, it is possible to verify a systembehavior by simulating the processing time for each component of thecomputer 20 in the system in the network environment where a delay maybe caused in the network 40.

Moreover, an error can be caused in the data transfer over the network40 or within the computer 20 through the data processing by the transferexecution part 240 of the echo server 10. Thereby, even when the network40 or the computer 20 is configured in an environment with lowreliability of the data transfer, it is possible to verify a systembehavior in the environment.

As described above, with this invention, it is possible to measure thesystem statistical information over a plurality of components configuredon a single node, and conduct a system test under various environmentalconditions at low cost.

Also, with this invention, the system test can be conducted, employing amethod for measuring the system statistical information on the singlenode.

1.-20. (canceled)
 21. A computer hardware system comprising: a socketgenerator configured to generate a socket as a virtual interface by acombination of an address and a port number, wherein the address isincluded in a correspondence between a plurality of computer componentsof a computer in a single node of a network, where the socket beinggenerated is dedicated for data inheriting information of said socketwhen said data is transmitted to said socket, and where the virtualinterface being configured for passing data through said network from aninterconnection between said plurality of computer components, and toacquire the correspondence between the plurality of computer componentsof the computer in the single node of the network; a path generatorconfigured to generate a path for acquiring data transmitted betweensaid computer components, wherein the data is acquired via said socketand said network, and to acquire a path of data transmitted via saidvirtual interface; and a transfer device configured to transfer saiddata acquired via said path to a component, from said computercomponents, that is an original destination of said data, to receivesaid data transmitted via the path between said computer components, andto monitor said data transmitted on said network.
 22. The computerhardware system according to claim 21, wherein said path generatorgenerates the path by acquiring an input stream that is a transmissionpath of said data transmitted via said network from said computer and anoutput stream that is a transmission path of said data transferred viasaid network to said computer.
 23. The computer hardware systemaccording to claim 1, wherein said path generator generates a receivingthread that is a transmission path for acquiring the data as a requesttransmitted from said computer and transferring said data to saidcomputer and a transfer thread that is a transmission path for acquiringthe data as a response transmitted from said computer and transferringsaid data to said computer.
 24. The computer hardware system accordingto claim 21, further comprising: a monitor configured to observe thetime at which the transmission of said data transmitted on said networkis started and the time at which the transfer of said data is ended. 25.The computer hardware system according to claim 24, wherein said monitoracquires a destination address, a destination port, an originatoraddress and an originator port included in said data to classify saiddata of observation object.
 26. The computer hardware system accordingto claim 21, wherein said transfer device transfers said data bychanging a bandwidth of said network.
 27. The computer hardware systemaccording to claim 21, wherein said transfer device transfers said databy delaying said network.
 28. A computer hardware system for monitoringefficiency with said system, comprising: a transmission path settingmodule configured for setting a transmission path via a network for dataexchanged between a plurality of components of a computer in a singlenode of the network by acquiring a correspondence between the pluralityof components in the computer and generating the transmission path fortransferring the data; and, an interface setting module configured forsetting the interface for transmitting said data through saidtransmission path, receiving the data via the transmission path and fortransferring the data.
 29. The computer hardware system according toclaim 28, further comprising: a monitor module configured for monitoringsaid data acquired through said interface and said transmission pathover the network.
 30. The computer hardware system according to claim29, wherein generating the transmission path for transferring the datacomprises program code enabled to acquire a transmission path of datatransmitted via an interface and connecting the acquired transmissionpath, so to generate the transmission path for transferring the data.31. The computer hardware system according to claim 28, wherein settingthe interface for transmitting said data through said transmission pathcomprises program code enabled to generate the interface configured forpassing data through the network from an interconnection between theplurality of components on the basis of the correspondence.